Make a Transparent Background

Today I'm answering a question from you, all about creating a transparent background on your own embellishments.

Hi, loving your tutorials! I am wondering how to make an embellishment from a flower I have cut out of a photo I have taken. I have cut the flower out & saved the flower onto a transparent background however when I use the flower in a digital scrapbook page I am working on I am unable to add a drop shadow, bevelled edge etc. how do I make this image a shape I can customize in a digital scrapbook? - Deb

In digital scrapbooking we use PNG files for items that need to be transparent. For example, if we have an embellishment such as a button, and place it on top of a paper, we can see the paper showing through the button holes.

The Portable Network Graphics (PNG) file type is a bitmapped image format that employs lossless data compression (read more at Wikipedia). That way the quality of the image is higher than a JPEG and it also has transparency, unlike a JPEG.

1. Make a selection and press delete - the background should look like a checkerboard
2. For more precision use the eraser tool
3. Save the file as a PNG (JPEGs don't keep the transparency)
4. Drag your file into your layout - it should be transparent now!

If you need more help with how to create a selection, you can learn more here:

• Quick Selections
• Photoshop Elements precision selection tools
• Lasso Tool and Feathering
• How to use masks
• Use an Extracted Photo as an Embellishment on a Scrapbook Layout

Got questions? Go ahead and leave them in the comments below.